Abstract
This chapter discusses the problem of how to evaluate online health information. The quality and accuracy of online health information is an area of increasing concern for healthcare professionals and the general public. We define relevant concepts including quality, accuracy, utility, and popularity. Most users access online health information via general-purpose search engines, therefore we briefly review Web searchengine fundamentals. We discuss desirable characteristics for quality-assessment tools and the available evidence regarding their effectiveness and usability. We conclude with advice for healthcare consumers as they search for health information online.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Medical Informatics |
| Subtitle of host publication | Concepts, Methodologies, Tools, and Applications |
| Publisher | IGI Global |
| Pages | 2029-2041 |
| Number of pages | 13 |
| Volume | 4-4 |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 9781605660516 |
| ISBN (Print) | 1605660507, 9781605660509 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Sep 30 2008 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Social Sciences
- General Engineering